Zaltrap

Regeneron Pharmaceuticals has wagered on two preclinical programs for its growing business in ophthalmology drugs. The biotech heavyweight has forked over $20 million upfront and promised up to $45 million in milestones to its major partner Sanofi for full rights to the pair of antibody programs for use against eye diseases.

FiercePharma thought it would be instructive to look at the worst pratfalls. Of course, every train wreck will attract its share of gawkers. The point we'd like to make here is that every example below also offers some clear pointers on how to avoid a similar snafu. Hopefully, this report will also provide a bit of context for those peak sales estimates we're treated to on an ongoing basis. Each one of the drugs you see below once inspired great dreams of big money. Each of them failed to deliver. And a number of the top blockbuster prospects now in the pipeline will wind up on future lists of drug launch disasters. Read the report >>

Sanofi ($SNY) made progress today on the product-replacement front. The French drug giant snagged endorsements from European Union regulators that pave the way to potential approvals of new drugs for diabetes and cancer, coming at a time when the company needs new products as older meds lose patent protection.

Though Zaltrap isn't expected to be a blockbuster, Sanofi's approval bolsters the Paris-based pharma giant's mission to usher new drugs to market as its major sellers such as the blood thinner Plavix face generic drug competition.